Leonato

• "By my troth ,niece , thou will never get thee a husband"

  • Leonato's remark implies that a woman's worth is tied to her ability to serve a husband
  • Leonato's concern about Beatrice being married may be influenced by considerations of social status and reputation
  • In Shakespearean England , marriage was not only a personal matter but a means of solidifying alliances, enhancing social standing, and ensuring the continuity of family lineage
• • "By my troth ,niece , thou will never get thee a husband"
  • In Elizabethan society .marriage was often seen s a primary goal for woman ,and those who remained unmarried were viewed with suspicion or pity
  • by expressing concern for Beatrice's prospect of finding a husband , Leonato adheres to the convention al notion that a woman's happiness and welfare is dependent on her martial status
• "Hath no mans dagger here a point for me"

  • the imagery of a dagger and the desire for its point to pierce him suggests he is experiencing intense emotional pain
  • he is overwhelmed by grief and anger that he wishes for physical harm to alleviate his suffering ; demonstrates the profound impact of Hero's supposed infidelity on Leonato's emotional well - being
• • "Hath no mans dagger here a point for me"
  • "point" implies a sense of betrayal ,as if Leonato feels personally betrayed by the actions of his daughter
  • he may view his daughters perceived infidelity as not only an impact on her but as hm as a father ,their family values and their social standing
• "mine ears as profitless ,as water in a sieve" - CT 5 , SCENE 1

  • absolutely distraught from the irreparable damage the men have committed against his reputation ; attempts to comfort him are fruitless as the public persona he rightfully earned as the governor of Messina would be questioned
  • Hero is Leonato's only child and not surprisingly his pride and joy ,hence it would have a detrimental impact of his reflection on him
  • "empty words" - he's inconsolable
• • in Elizabethan society a mans honour and reputation was partly formed by the women he surrounded himself by whether it be a father and daughter relationship or regarding marriage , proves Leonato's reactions are justified
• "my griefs cry louder than any advertisement"

  reveals profound anguish and devastation regarding his daughters wrongful accusation of infidelity and subsequent loss of his honour and reputation

  • emphasises the depth of his sorrow and the impact it had on him personally encapsulated by the personal pronoun "my" ;although Hero has been personally humiliated he feels as if the event had impacted him more
• "my griefs cry louder than any advertisement"

  • by comparing Leonato's all consuming grief to "louder than any advertisement" vividly portrays the intensity of the emotional turmoil and profound nature of his suffering
  • suggests Leonato's grief is so overwhelming it surpasses any attempt to mitigate the situation ; highlights the public nature of his grief ad inadequacy to conceal it